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Genbu
category:Bestiarycategory:Adamantoisecategory:Notorious Monsters Dialogue Dialogue when appears Genbu: "I am Genbu, Divine Guardian of the North. The brief spark of your existence is as a single heartbeat to me. Know your insignificance, mortal." Dialogue when defeated Genbu: "I would have never believed a mere mortal could sunder my shell... You amuse me. Perhaps we may meet again." Historical Background The Shijin In Eastern Asian mythological cosmology, the Shijin (also spelled Shishin; called the Ssu Ling or Si Ling in China) are 4 guardian beasts that guard the 4 cardinal directions (North, South, East, West). The 4 of them are associated with 4 of the 5 elements of Chinese philosophy (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth). There is a 5th direction occasionally added (Center) and a 5th guardian beast. Chinese philosophy includes this guardian, but Japanese usually does not. They are independent of the Chinese Zodiac Animals and they each rule a quadrant of the night sky. They evidently originated during the Warring States Period of Chinese history (400s BCE- 221 BCE), and were frequently painted on the walls of tombs to ward off evil spirits. The Shijin have frequently been used in anime programs (Fushigi Yugi, Yu Yu Hakusho, Samurai Deeper Kyo, and Digimon) as well as some other video games, most notably SaGa 1 (1989/1990, sold in the United States as Final Fantasy Legend, published by Square). Guardian of the North The Guardian of the North is the Black Tortoise. The Black Tortoise is connected with the direction North, the season Winter, the element Water, and the color black. The Guardian's Japanese name is Genbu, its Chinese name is Xuanwu (sometimes Xuan Wu, Gui Xian, Kuei Hsien, Zuan Wu; xuan "black" + wu "turtle"), and its Korean name is Hyun Moo. The Black Tortoise is usually depicted as a black turtle with a snake coiled around it or as a tortoise with a snake's head and snake's tail or a turtle-snake. In Chinese folklore, the turtle and the snake are often related or the same animal. The turtle-snake is thought to be a turtle during the day, and a snake during the night. An alternative view was the male of the species is the turtle while the female is the snake. This could have been due to the Chinese box turtle (or snake-eating turtle)'s mating habits. It sprays secretion from its nostrils. In the poor light of the night, it looks like a snake flickering its tongue, and it sounds like a rattle snake. The tortoise's shell is said to represent the vault of the universe (the shell of the night sky). In the East, the tortoise is a symbol of long life and happy contentment, as well as wisdom. It is said, when a tortoise becomes 1000 years old, it learns the ability to speak human languages and prophesize the future (see Millenary Mossback). In China, the tortoise is an emblem of the imperial court, and the tortoise symbol was usually worn on some court official's robes. In Japan, this Guardian is sometimes replaced with the Tamonten (also called Bishamonten), the Dark Warrior/Dark Lord or Black Warrior, one of the Shitenno (4 Buddhist Protectors of the 4 Directions). He is sometimes used in Chinese folklore (dating back to Neolithic times) too as a human warrior wearing primitive clothing (tribal clothing) and with unkempt black hair. He was considered a powerful being who meted out punishment and salvation. Supposedly, the Xuan Wu was a totem of sorts for shamans, with the tortoise and snake being two symbols of power. Tamonten is associated with the same 3 central aspects as the Black Tortoise: Winter, North, and black. When translated into the 5 Japanese elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Void, Genbu is assigned the element Earth. The 7 Seishuku (constellations) of the Black Tortoise are: Hikistu Boshi ("dipper stars"), Inami Boshi ("cow stars"), Uruki Boshi ("woman stars"), Tomite Boshi ("emptiness stars"), Umiyama Boshi ("rooftop stars"), Hatsui Boshi ("room stars"), Namame Boshi ("wall stars"). The lunar mansion (constellations the Moon passes through in Chinese & Vedic astrology) which is considered the center of this Shijin is called the Void (found in either Sagittarius near Capricorn's border or in Pegasus) since there is no star or prominent celestial feature in its location. This sector of the sky contains the Western/Arabic constellations Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, Pegasus. The Gods of Tu'Lia Genbu is spawned using the Winterstone and the Gem of the North, the season and direction it is associated with. Genbu appears on the Northeast island of Ru'Aun Gardens. The directions of the 4 islands the Gods of Tu'Lia spawn on are not at the cardinal directions, so the mythology cannot be represented in that regard. Genbu uses all Water-element attacks, which is the element it is associated with. Genbu also drops Arctic Wind, which pertains to a wind from the North Pole. Video See Video.